Hose construction and fastening member therefor

ABSTRACT

A hose construction, fastening member therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the hose construction comprising a tubular flexible hose having opposite ends and an outer peripheral surface, a fastening member, and a clamping unit fastened to one of the ends of the hose with the fastening member for substantially circumferentially and radially inwardly clamping the one end onto a member that has been inserted into the one end, the fastening member having a part thereof secured to the outer peripheral surface of the hose and having a recess therein that receives part of the clamping unit therein, the fastening member having snap-fit structure for holding the part of the clamping unit in the recess thereof before the fastening member is secured to the hose.

This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 988,982, filed Dec. 11,1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,821, which, in turn, is a divisional ofSer. No. 771,080, filed Oct. 2, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,913.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a new hose construction and to a new fasteningmeans for fastening a clamping means to one end of the hose as well asto new methods of making such a hose construction and such a fasteningmeans.

2. Prior Art Statement

It is known to provide a hose construction comprising a tubular flexiblehose having opposite ends and an outer peripheral surface means,fastening means, and a clamping means fastened to one of the ends of thehose with the fastening means for substantially circumferentially andradially inwardly clamping the one end onto a member that has beeninserted into the one end, the fastening means comprising a fasteningmember having a part thereof secured to the outer peripheral surfacemeans of the hose and having recess means therein that receives part ofthe clamping means therein. For example, see the advertisement ofCopolymer on page 11 of the Feb. 18, 1991 issue of "Rubber & PlasticNews".

Also see Denyes U.S. Pat. No. 3,365,218 for various means for fasteninga clamping member to an end of a hose.

Also see Dooley U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,695; the Proctor et al, U.S. Pat.No. 4,592,576 and the Muhr U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,129 for different typesof annular clamping means for substantially circumferentially andradially inwardly clamping one end of a hose onto a member that has beeninserted into that one end of the hose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one feature of this invention to provide a new hose constructionhaving unique fastening means that fastens a clamping means to one ofthe ends of the hose so that the clamping means can substantiallycircumferentially and radially inwardly clamp the one end of the hoseonto a member that has been inserted into that one end of the hose.

In particular, it is found according to the teachings of this inventionthat the fastening means can be so constructed and arranged that thesame can have means for holding a part of the clamping means in a recessmeans thereof before that fastening means is secured to the hose.

For example, one embodiment of this invention comprises a hoseconstruction comprising a tubular flexible hose having opposite ends andan outer peripheral surface means, fastening means, and a clamping meansfastened to one of the ends of the hose with the fastening means forsubstantially circumferentially and radially inwardly clamping the oneend onto a member that has been inserted into the one end, the fasteningmeans comprising a fastening member having a part thereof secured to theouter peripheral surface means of the hose and having recess meanstherein that receives part of the clamping means therein, the fasteningmember having means for holding the part of the clamping means in therecess means before the fastening member is secured to the hose.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new hoseconstruction having one or more of the novel features of this inventionas set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new method of makingsuch a hose construction, the method of this invention having one ormore of the novel features of this invention as set forth above orhereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new fastening means forsuch a hose construction, the fastening means of this invention havingone or more of the novel features of this invention as set forth aboveor hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new method of makingsuch a fastening means, the method of this invention having one or moreof the novel features of this invention as set forth above orhereinafter shown or described.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from areading of this description which proceeds with reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a new hoseconstruction of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the various partsof the hose construction of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 and illustrates the fastening meansof this invention assembled with the annular clamping means before theannular clamping means is disposed on the end of the flexible hose.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 and illustrates the placing of anadhesive means on the fastening means.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 and illustrates the clamping meanshaving been telescoped onto the end of the hose.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and illustrates another new hoseconstruction of this invention.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line8--8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view illustrating thevarious parts of the hose construction of FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and illustrates another new hoseconstruction of this invention.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line11--11 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the various partsthat form the hose construction of FIGS. 10 and 11.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter illustratedand described as being particularly adapted to provide hoseconstructions respectively utilizing three different types of annularclamping means, it is to be understood that the various features of thisinvention can be utilized singly or in various combinations thereof toprovide hose constructions having other types of annular clamping meansas desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodimentsillustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized toillustrate some of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a new hose construction of thisinvention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 20 andcomprises a flexible hose 21 having opposed ends of which only one end22 is illustrated in the drawings. However, it is well known that theother end of the hose 21 can be similar to the end 22 or dissimilarthereto as desired.

While the flexible hose 21 can be formed of any suitable material andhave any suitable configuration, the hose 21 is illustrated in thedrawings as being formed of polymeric material and having a generallycylindrical external peripheral surface means 23 and a generallycircular opening 24 passing therethrough whereby the end 22 of the hose21 is adapted to receive a tubular member (not shown) in the opening 24at the end 22 thereof and have the end 22 substantiallycircumferentially and radially inwardly clamped onto such tubular memberby an annular clamping means that is generally indicated by thereference numeral 25 in FIGS. 1-6 and being secured to the end 22 of thehose 21 by a fastening means 26 of this invention in a mannerhereinafter set forth.

Of course, the non-shown end of the hose 21 can also have such clampingmeans 25 and fastening means 26, if desired.

The annular clamping means 25 is of the type set forth in theaforementioned Proctor et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,576, whereby thispatent is being incorporated into this disclosure by this referencethereto, such clamping member also being shown in the aforementionedDenyes U.S. Pat. No. 3,365,218, and being illustrated in FIG. 10 thereofin its clamping condition for clamping an end of a hose onto a tubularmember inserted therein whereby this patent is also being incorporatedinto this disclosure by this reference thereto.

Therefore, since the structure and operation of the annular clampingmeans 25 is well known in the art, only the details thereof that arenecessary to understand the various features of this invention will nowbe set forth.

As illustrated in the drawings, the annular clamping means 25 includes apair of spaced apart parallel and substantially circular rod-likemembers 27 and 28 that are adapted to be circumferentially enlarged orcontracted upon the rotation of a threaded fastening member 29 in theproper direction thereof.

The fastening means 26 of this invention comprises a fastening member 30that is formed of any suitable material, such as a polymeric material asillustrated in the drawings, and having been premolded or otherwiseformed to define two pairs of opposed side edge means 31, 32 and 33, 34and opposed surface means 35 and 36 with the surface means 35 beingarcuate between the side edges 31 and 32 thereof so as to substantiallyconform to the contour of the peripheral surface means 23 of the end 22of the hose 21 when the fastening member 30 is oriented relative theretoin the manner illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The surface means 35 of the fastening member 30 of this invention isinterrupted by recess means that is generally indicated by the referencenumeral 37 and which extends between the opposed side edges 31 and 32,the recess means 37 for the fastening member 30 comprising two likerecesses 38 and 39 disposed in spaced apart parallel relation and beingadapted to respectively receive parts of the circular rods 27 and 28therein in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5 so that theuninterrupted portions of the surface means 35 of the fastening member30 will engage flush against the outer peripheral surface 23 of the end22 of the hose 21 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2.

The fastening member 30 of this invention is adapted to be assembledwith the clamping means 25 before the fastening member 30 is secured tothe hose 21 and has means that is generally indicated by the referencenumeral 40 for holding the parts of the rods 27 and 28 in the recesses38 and 39 before the clamping means 25 is assembled with the end 22 ofthe hose 21, such holding means 40 comprising integral projections 41and 42 of the fastening member 30 that respectively extend over part ofthe recesses 38 and 39 throughout the entire length thereof so as toprovide snap-fit means beyond which the rods 27 and 28 must be pushed ina snap-fit manner as illustrated in FIG. 2 so that the fastening member30 in such assembled relation will be carried by the clamping means 25in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5.

In this manner, a suitable adhesive means 35', FIG. 5, can be disposedon the noninterrupted portions of the surface means 35 of the fasteningmember 30. Thereafter the assembled clamping means 25 and fasteningmember 30 can be disposed in the telescoped relation over the end 22 ofthe hose 21 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6 and have the surfacemeans 35 of the fastening member 30 urged against the peripheral surface23 of the end 22 of the hose 21 in the desired position thereof so thatthe fastening member 30 will be bonded to the end 22 of the hose 21 in aproper position by the adhesive means 35' when set to hold the clampingmeans 25 in its assembled relation with the hose 21 for subsequentlyclamping the end 22 of the hose 21 onto the desired tubular structure inthe manner set forth in the aforementioned U.S. patents that have beenpreviously incorporated by reference into this disclosure.

Thus, it can be seen that it is a relatively simple method of thisinvention to form the hose construction 20 by first having the clampingmeans 25 disposed in a sufficiently open condition thereof so that thesame can readily slip onto the end 22 of the hose 20 after the fasteningmember 30 has been snap-fitted onto the rods 27 and 28 thereof asillustrated in FIG. 4 and the adhesive means 35' has been placed on thesurface means 35 of the fastening member 30 so that the fastening member30 can be subsequently secured to the surface means 23 of the hose 21with the clamping means 25 disposed in the proper position over the end22 of the hose 21 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6.

Once the adhesive means 35' has been set, the clamping means 25 can becircumferentially tightened by rotating the fastening means 29 in theproper direction in a manner well known in the art in order tocircumferentially and radially inwardly compress the end 22 of the hose21 in a manner well known in the art. Of course, in order to remove theend 22 of the hose construction 20 from the desired structure, thefastening means 29 is rotated in the proper direction tocircumferentially expand the clamping means 25 so that the end 22 of thehose 21 can then be untelescoped from the tubular structure on which theend 22 had been fastened.

Therefore, it can be seen that by providing the holding means 40 on thefastening member 30 of this invention, it is a relatively simple methodto assemble the fastening member 30 with the clamping means 25 beforethe clamping means 25 is assembled with the hose 21 so as to minimizethe difficulty in fastening the clamping means 25 to the end 22 of thehose 21 to produce the final assembly as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Another hose construction of this invention is generally indicated bythe reference numeral 20A in FIGS. 7-9 and parts thereof similar to theparts of the hose construction 20 previously described are indicated bylike reference numerals followed by the reference letter "A".

As illustrated in FIGS. 7-9, the hose construction 20A also comprises aflexible hose 21A having an annular clamping means 25A fastened to theexternal peripheral surface means 23A of an end 22A thereof by afastening means 26A of this invention that comprises a fastening member30A having a recess means 37A interrupting the surface 35A thereof.

However, the clamping means 25A includes an annular flat band 43 thathas opposed parallel side edges 44 and 45 whereby the recess means 37Ain the fastening member 30A of this invention comprises a single recess46 having opposed side edges 47 and 48 respectively provided withholding means 40A that comprises inwardly directed integral ledges orportions 41A and 42A of the fastening member 30A that extend the entirelength of the recess 46 and will overlap the opposed side edges 44 and45 of the band 43 of the clamping means 25A when a part of that band 43is snap-fitted down into the recess 46 in the manner illustrated in FIG.8 whereby the fastening member 30A will be held to the band 43 to besubsequently secured to the surface 23A of the end 22A of the hose 21Aby the adhesive means 35'A that was placed on the surface means 35Abefore the assembled clamping means 25A and fastening member 30A areassembled with the end 22A of the hose 21A in a manner similar to theassembly method of this invention set forth in FIGS. 4-6 for theclamping means 25.

The clamping means 25A is of the type set forth in the aforementionedDooley U S. Pat. No. 4,763,695, whereby this patent is beingincorporated into this disclosure by this reference thereto.

Therefore, it can be seen that it is well known that the clamping means25A is adapted to have the annular band 43 circumferentially shrunkaround the end 22A of the hose 21A by turning a threaded fasteningmember 29A in the proper direction for fastening the end 22A of the hose21A onto a desired tubular structure that has been inserted into theopening 24A of the hose 21A in a manner well known in the art. Ofcourse, the annular band 43 can be circumferentially enlarged by turningthe threaded fastening member 29A in the opposite direction in order toremove the previously changed end 22A.

Another hose construction of this invention is generally indicated bythe reference numeral 20B in FIGS. 10-12 and parts thereof similar tothe parts of the hose constructions 20 and 20A previously described areindicated by like reference numerals followed by the reference letter"B".

As illustrated in FIGS. 10-12, it can be seen that the hose construction20B comprises a flexible hose 21B having an annular clamping means 25Bsecured to the end 22B thereof by a fastening means 26B of thisinvention that comprises a fastening member 30B having recess means 37Binterrupting the surface means 35B thereof, the recess means 37Bcomprising two recesses 38B and 39B which respectively receive flat,parallel and spaced apart sections 50 and 51 of an annular band 52 ofthe clamping means 25B in the manner illustrated in FIG. 11.

The fastening member 30B has holding means 40B for holding the sections50 and 51 in the recesses 38B and 39B and comprises inwardly directedintegral barb-like portions 41B and 42B that extend throughout theentire length of the recesses 38B and 39B and through which the sections50 and 51 must be snapped in a snap-fit manner so that the fasteningmember 30B will be carried by the annular band 52 to be subsequentlysecured to the outer peripheral surface 23B of the hose 21B by theadhesive means 35'B that has been disposed on the surface means 35B inthe manner previously set forth for the hose constructions 20 and 20A.

The annular clamping means 25B of the hose construction 20B is of thetoggle-type that is set forth in the aforementioned Muhr U S. Pat. No.4,773,129, whereby this patent is being incorporated into thisdisclosure by this reference thereto.

Therefore, it can be seen that it is well known that when opposed endmeans 53 and 54 of the annular band 52 of the clamping means 26B aretoggled together in the manner illustrated in FIG. 12, the annular band52 is in its enlarged circumferential condition to readily permit thesame to be slipped onto the end 22 of the hose 21B in the mannerillustrated in FIG. 10 so as to be secured thereto by the adhesive 35'Bon the fastening member 30B. Thereafter, when the ends 53 and 54 areuntoggled from each other, the annular band 52 circumferentially shrinksthrough the natural spring force of the band 52 to therebycircumferentially and radially inwardly collapse the end 22B of the hose21B onto the desired tubular structure that is inserted into the opening24B of the hose 21B in a manner well known in the art.

Therefore, it can be seen that the various hose constructions 20-20B ofthis invention each has a fastening member 30-30B which permits theannular clamping means 25-25B thereof to be respectively snap-fittedthereto so that the fastening member 30-30B can be subsequently securedin its snap-fit manner with the particular clamping means 25-25B intothe desired position thereof onto the respective hose 21-21B in themanner previously set forth.

If desired, the recess means 37-37B can be so constructed and arrangedthat the same will prevent through friction the respective annularclamping means 25-25B from being rotated relative to the fasteningmember 30-30B after the fastening member 30-30B has been snap-fittedthereon and before or after the resulting assembly has been secured tothe hose 21-21B or the recess means 37-37B can be so constructed andarranged that the annular clamping means 25-25B can be freely rotatedrelative to the respective fastening member 30-30B within certain limitsdepending upon the particular structure of the clamping means 25-25B asis apparent from the drawings after the fastening member 30-30B has beensnap-fitted thereon and before or after the resulting assembly has beensecured to the hose 21-21B.

In particular, the respective recess means 37-37B can be so narrowand/or so shallow that after the respective clamping means 25-25B hasbeen snap-fitted therein beyond the respective holding means, therespective fastening member 30-30B is held by friction from beingslideable on the respective clamping means 25-25B.

Therefore, it can be seen that this invention not only provides a newhose construction and a new fastening means for fastening a clampingmeans onto the hose of the hose construction, but also this inventionprovides a new method of making such a hose construction and a newmethod of making such a fastening means.

While the forms and methods of this invention now preferred have beenillustrated and described as required by the Patent Statute, it is to beunderstood that other forms and method steps can be utilized and stillfall within the scope of the appended claims wherein each claim setsforth what is believed to be known in each claim prior to this inventionin the portion of each claim that is disposed before the terms "theimprovement" and sets forth what is believed to be new in each claimaccording to this invention in the portion of each claim that isdisposed after the terms "the improvement" whereby it is believed thateach claim sets forth a novel, useful and unobvious invention within thepurview of the Patent Statute.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a hose construction comprising a tubularflexible hose having opposite ends and an outer peripheral surfacemeans, fastening means, and a clamping means fastened to one of saidends of said hose with said fastening means for substantiallycircumferentially and radially inwardly clamping said one end onto amember that has been inserted into said one end, said fastening meanscomprising a fastening member having a part thereof secured to saidouter peripheral surface means of said hose and having recess meanstherein that receives part of said clamping means therein, theimprovement wherein said fastening member has means for holding saidpart of said clamping means in said recess means before said fasteningmember is secured to said hose, said fastening member having opposedends, said recess means extending throughout the length of saidfastening member and interrupting said opposed ends of said fasteningmember, said means for holding said part of said clamping means in saidrecess means comprising projection means of said fastening member thatextends over part of said recess means throughout the entire lengththereof.
 2. A hose construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidfastening member has means for preventing rotation of said clampingmember on said hose.
 3. A hose construction as set forth in claim 1wherein said recess means of said fastening member permits said clampingmember to be rotatable on said hose within certain limits thereof.
 4. Ahose construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said recess meanscomprises a single recess.
 5. A hose construction as set forth in claim1 wherein said recess means comprises a plurality of recesses disposedin spaced apart substantially parallel relation.
 6. A hose constructionas set forth in claim 1 wherein said fastening member has a surfacemeans disposed between said opposed ends thereof, said recess meansinterrupting said surface means.
 7. A hose construction as set forth inclaim 6 wherein said surface means of said fastening member comprisessaid part thereof that is secured to said hose.
 8. A hose constructionas set forth in claim 6 wherein said surface means of said fasteningmember is arcuate between said opposed ends.
 9. In a fastening means fora hose construction comprising a tubular flexible hose having oppositeends and an outer peripheral surface means, and a clamping meansfastened to one of said ends of said hose with said fastening means forsubstantially circumferentially and radially inwardly clamping said oneend onto a member that has been inserted into said one end, saidfastening means comprising a fastening member having a part thereofadapted to be secured to said outer peripheral surface means of saidhose and having recess means therein that is adapted to receive part ofsaid clamping means therein, the improvement wherein said fasteningmember has means adapted for holding said part of said clamping means insaid recess means before said fastening member is secured to said hose,said fastening member having opposed ends, said recess means extendingthroughout the length of said fastening member and interrupting saidopposed ends of said fastening member, said means for holding said partof said clamping means in said recess means comprising projection meansof said fastening member that extends over part of said recess meansthroughout the entire length thereof.
 10. A fastening means for a hoseconstruction as set forth in claim 9 wherein said fastening member hasmeans for preventing movement of said clamping member in said recessmeans once said clamping member has been disposed in said recess means.11. A fastening means for a hose construction as set forth in claim 9wherein said recess means of said fastening member permits said clampingmember to move in said recess means within certain limits once saidclamping member is disposed in said recess means.
 12. A fastening meansfor a hose construction as set forth in claim 9 wherein said recessmeans comprises a single recess.
 13. A fastening means for a hoseconstruction as set forth in claim 9 wherein said recess means comprisesa plurality of recesses disposed in spaced apart substantially parallelrelation.
 14. A fastening means for a hose construction as set forth inclaim 9 wherein said fastening member has a surface means disposedbetween said opposed ends thereof, said recess means interrupting saidsurface means.
 15. A fastening means for a hose construction as setforth in claim 14 wherein said surface means of said fastening membercomprise said part thereof that is adapted to be secured to said hose.16. A fastening means for a hose construction as set forth in claim 14wherein said surface means of said fastening member is arcuate betweensaid opposed ends.